


A Life Lived, Not A Life Lost (Your Heart Reflected In Mine)

by kelizabethr



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:29:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24477223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kelizabethr/pseuds/kelizabethr
Summary: "I do know one thing: I think we would’ve found our hearts reflection in one another when it came to Callum"It's a special day for Callum. And perhaps it will become a special day for Rayla too.
Relationships: Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 76





	A Life Lived, Not A Life Lost (Your Heart Reflected In Mine)

Rayla groaned, shaking the weight off her sleepy shoulder.

It just came again, rousing her from her sweet dreams of an adoraburr covered Callum, and she shrugged her shoulder again, burying her face in her lemon-scented pillow-it’s luxury still astounding her-to return to her dream.

“Rayla!”

“Callum!” groaned Rayla in return, grabbing his pillow to smash it over the back of her head, her world cast into darkness as the scent of Callum enveloped her into comfort again, “Just ‘cause you want to be awake as soon as the world wakes doesn’t mean I should have to get up with you.”

Rayla’s words were slurred and muffled before she squawked when the covers were pulled off her, the cold air swarming her body like bumble-scorps on unsuspecting prey. She sat up, casting off Callum’s pillow with a glare that threw daggers straight at perpetrator’s grinning face.

Callum sat beside her on the bed, teetering just on the edge, and Rayla had to repress the urge to kick him off, annoyed that he was being more of a pest than he normally was in the morning.

He was often up early to serve the kingdom and even when he was allowed a rare day off he would still awake early to soar the skies, drinking up the air as if it were his wine. Every one of his breaths was purposeful these days, the magic of the air just as much a part of him as he was of it.

Having earned a connection with the sky arcanum, unlike the Xadians born with it, he honored it and even understood it with more depth than Rayla had ever seen from a Xadian, despite their innate sense with a source.

It inspired Rayla. It also annoyed her to no end.

“Callum, this is truly ridiculous,” growled Rayla, reaching for the blanket Callum had left bunched at the bottom of the bed, before he laced his hand in hers, preventing her from grasping it.

She growled. He was really pushing her lack of morning cheer.

“I have something really special to show you,” murmured Callum, elation in his glowing green eyes, “We only have a short window of time! Come on, get dressed.”

Rayla sighed and frowned, crossing her arms.

“Callum, you know I dislike flying through the air just as much as I do the idea of riding on water,”

“Well, I’m trying to give you enough time to just  _ walk,  _ but if you don’t stop chattering, I’ll have to fly you there!  _ Let’s go! _ ”

He threw a shirt at her and she caught it, continuing to grumble but throwing it over her head all the same.

“You do know that you’re a real pain in my ass, right?”

“Yep!” sang Callum, “However, today I’m allowed to be. It’s a really important day, Rayla.”

Rayla froze for a moment before flashing a nervous smile to Callum.

Swinging her legs out of their bed, Rayla wracked her brain. It frustrated her to no end the stupid dates that humans had, but she had always tried to remember them for Callum’s sake.

Her mind raced to think of things that were important to Callum.

It wasn’t his birthday. It wasn’t their ‘anniversary’, as silly a human concept as that was. So why was he in such a rush?

Rayla pulled her pants up her legs, her nervousness increasing tenfold when Callum kept glancing to the window.

It couldn’t be a memorial for Callum discovering the sky arcanum. The world was covered in snow this time of year and Callum had learned magic in the spring months. 

“Ready?”

He interrupted her thoughts and Rayla tucked her daggers in place, patting down her hair and rubbing tiredly at her horns.

“I suppose so?” she offered up, pulling her hair over her shoulder a little and curling inward on herself before yelping when Callum grabbed her hand, yanking her out of their room and giving a sharp salute to the guards who bowed in respect.

Rayla looked back at them in confusion.

Sure, Callum was prince and High Mage but they never bowed to him on any other day. Their orders were to maintain perfect posture and precision whenever Callum entered or exited a room.

It made Rayla’s nervousness nearly bubble over.

“Callum,” grunted Rayla, still being pulled along while Callum’s cloak slapped her every few moments or so, “Can we slow down for just a second?”

“I don’t wanna miss it!” huffed Callum, straining to still pull her along until Rayla wriggled free when they approached the castle gate.

“We have to go outside? It’s so  _ cold _ , Callum,” grumbled Rayla, hoping she could bide more time to understand what was going on, and Callum sighed, wriggling his body in anxiousness.

“It’s not even that bad this year! I grabbed your cloak already. Soren has it at the gate so can we just  _ please  _ hurry?”

Rayla gulped but nodded, letting Callum grab her hand again and rush her to the gate.

Soren was indeed there, his breath coming out in puffs amidst the cold air, and he held out her cloak with a smile.

Rayla gave a curt nod in appreciation, swinging it around her shoulders as Callum hopped from foot to foot.

The world was still blanketed in night, the moon laughing at Rayla’s awakened state, and she shivered, fighting to do the clasp of her new cloak. It was far more fancy than her other one and she cursed the shining gold embellishments around the clasp that made it so much harder to do up, especially when her hands trembled from the cold.

“Hey, go easy, step-prince,” teased Soren, elbowing Callum a little when he smiled sheepishly and ran a cold hand through his hair.

“I just don’t want to miss it!”

Soren nodded in solemn understanding and Rayla frowned again.

If even Soren knew what Callum was so elated about, how could she not?

She released a puff of air when she finally succeeded in doing up her clasp, wrapping her trembling hands in her cloak and smiling at Callum when he beamed, his cheeks and nose reddened from the cold.

Soren placed a hand on his chest and bowed low to Callum, throwing Rayla for another loop, but before Rayla could think too hard on it, Callum had grabbed her and was pulling her along again, the frost lining the stones crunching beneath their feet.

Rayla threw a ‘thank you’ over her shoulder at Soren before paying attention to the slippery ground beneath her, Callum basically dragging her into an awkward run.

Rayla was shocked when even the city seemed to be beginning to wake at this moon-forsaken hour, the few people awake bowing and even chuckling at Callum’s frantic pulls through their streets.

People even parted in respect of the two, a gesture Rayla was not used to from Katolis, as if no one dared get in the way of Callum’s mission.

He turned back to look at Rayla, his face in a burdened smile, and squeezed her hand, pulling her in closer to him and pausing to place his cold hand against her waist to reassure her.

“We’re almost there, I promise,”

Rayla nodded, her nose tingling from the cursed Katolis winter, and kept following, observing as people continued bowing to Callum, his thanks and appreciation spilling awkwardly from his mouth as he rushed by.

Eventually the city began to fade, buildings giving way to trees before Callum pulled Rayla roughly to the right, rushing along a well-used path, the grass becoming an ombre of carefully carved stone and a kind of hallway forming on either side until they reached an open area.

Rayla’s eyes widened as they entered the Valley of Graves.

The burial of all of Katolis’ great kings and queens had taken place here for millenia, or so she had been told.

Rayla shrunk a little, intimidated when General Amaya turned to face Callum, huffing and puffing in the windless stone grove.

She smiled and began to sign.

< _ I feared you wouldn’t make it. You were horribly slow, Callum> _

Callum laughed, placing a hand over his stomach while he gasped.

_ <Someone was fighting getting out of bed! I even gave her extra time and everything!> _

General Amaya eyed Rayla, watching the girl try to keep up with Callum’s hands, her ability to sign still shaky at best.

_ <Well I am glad you are both here now. She would be pleased.> _

Callum smiled, grabbing Rayla’s hand and pulling her forward before sliding behind her.

“Stand right  _ here _ ,” he whispered, his hands on her shoulders to guide her and his one eye closed in concentration as if he were about to sketch the scene and needed to commit it to memory.

Rayla nodded before Amaya stood taller, her chin tilted upward in respect, drawing Rayla’s attention until Callum tapped her cheek lightly.

“Look,”

Rayla focussed her attention back on the statue of Queen Sarai before dropping her mouth a little.

The sun just peeked over the horizon, creating a halo of light around the Queen’s crown.

It was simple, hardly comparable to the elaborate carvings and rituals of which Xadia was accustomed to, and yet somehow the simplicity of it made it all the more endearing.

It was like time was frozen, the sun paying its respects to the fallen Queen as if to reassure those still captive to life while she abounded weightlessly in death.

A final confirmation that Sarai was home.

Callum wrapped his arms around Rayla’s waist, resting his chin on her shoulder as the sun began to illuminate Sarai’s stationary eyes, and he exhaled, his breath warm on her neck. Rayla brought her hand up, despite the cold, to tuck it into Callum’s hair reassuringly and he leaned into her some more.

Ezran suddenly stepped forward, General Amaya smiling at him in encouragement, and shuffled toward the large statue, placing a firm hand on the cold stone.

Rayla watched Ezran murmur something, talking to the statue with tears brimming along his eyes. The boy laughed a little, as if telling his mother he stole her jelly tart, before he stepped back again, bowed and rushed backwards, rubbing at his eyes with his sleeve.

General Amaya bent low, embracing Ezran tightly and signing something Rayla couldn’t interpret yet, before stepping forward herself, laying her shield and sword gently on the ground and kneeling by the large monument.

Rayla exhaled, watching her wispy breath while General Amaya signed almost furiously at the statue. Her hands almost never paused as she spoke to her sister and Rayla had to smile when she imagined the trouble they probably made signing the most ridiculous things to one another at the most inappropriate times.

General Amaya suddenly dropped her head.

_ <I love you. You would be so proud of the men your boys have grown to be.> _

Rayla smiled, her heart proud when she was able to understand the signs and her face in a blush when General Amaya stood, picking up her shield and sword bravely again and stepping back into line.

Callum released his hold on Rayla, stepping around her, and she tucked her arms into herself while looking down and stepping backward before Callum chuckled.

Rayla looked up again, her mouth opening a little when she found Callum’s hand stretched out to her.

“Oh Callum, I...I wouldn’t want to be…”

Rayla’s voice trailed off, threatening to crack, but Callum’s hand remained and Rayla, with racing heart, accepted it, letting Callum pull her closer to the large monument of a woman Rayla had never met but could only dream of being.

Callum pulled Rayla closer until her toes were against the edge of the smoothly carved stone, and she looked down when Callum placed his hand on the emblem carved into the side.

“Happy Birthday, Mom,” chuckled Callum, running his fingers faintly over the picture inscribed on the emblem, “I hope you’re having as many jelly tarts as you can possibly stomach today!”

Rayla’s eyes shot up to glance at Callum, his eyes slightly glassy, in sudden realization.

Today wasn’t special for any reason involving her; it was special because this was a day of celebration in Callum’s memory.

“I brought you a present, Mom!” offered Callum brightly, wrapping his arm around Rayla’s shoulder and holding her hand, “This...is Rayla.”

Rayla was unsure what to do.

She felt a little silly talking to a statue in general but felt extra silly talking to a statue of a woman she’d never meet. It somehow felt...disrespectful.

Today was supposed to be a day wherein Sarai’s memorial was surrounded by family and loved ones and Rayla felt ashamed to fit into that category. She didn’t belong here. She was like a piece from a totally separate puzzle.

Callum continued to present Rayla as if she were a drawing he had dedicated to his mom and Rayla just gave an awkward wave at the statue, observing the frost that lined the Queen’s outstretched hand.

Callum smiled, as if trying to support her, and Rayla’s heart clenched when he seemed to have understanding of how she felt. He knew how it felt to be a puzzle piece forced to fit.

“Rayla is…” continued Callum, looking away from the statue to let his eyes wander Rayla’s face, making her grateful the cold hid her blush, “indescribable, Mom.”

He turned back to the statue, clasping his hands together and smiling.

“It’s almost a little crazy how much she reminds me of you. She’s courageous and bold and willing to challenge me to be better than I am while still accepting the place that I’m at. She’s even got your stubborn streak.”

Callum took a pause to chuckle.

“And, Mom, I...well...I really hope you like her from...wherever you are,” stammered Callum, blindly grabbing Rayla’s hand, “because I really like her and...I think that I want to spend the rest of my life with her.”

Rayla’s mouth dropped open again, her breath stuck in her throat and her body enveloped in a searing heat of adrenaline at his words, but his eyes remained fixated on his mother, the sun illuminating nearly all of her by now.

“So...happy birthday, Mom. We all miss you a lot. I hope-”

Callum’s voice broke a little, a tear caressing the curve of his red cheeks. Rayla squeezed his hand in support and he smiled, sniffling.

“I hope I’ve made you proud. I love you.”

Callum rubbed the tear off his cheek and let go of Rayla, smiling at her before turning to leave the statue to its basking in the winter sun, but Rayla seemed to pause.

She looked up at Queen Sarai’s outstretched hand and sighed, stretching out her own trembling hand and placing it on the hoof of the horse Sarai was situated so regally on.

“I...I…” stammered Rayla, still unsure whether she had a right to say anything at all, “I umm don’t know you. The  _ real  _ you, I mean. I’ve just heard the stories of everything you were and everything you wanted to become. Honestly, I don’t even really feel suited to speak to your memorial, but I...I need to thank you.”

Rayla sucked in a breath, still trembling, and the cold stone was starting to burn against her hand.

“I need to thank you for him. You had a good one. He claims we’re so similar and I almost can’t help but wonder if that would’ve meant we would have butted heads a lot. However, I also can’t help but respect the boy you raised him to be and...and I’m sorry that you were robbed of watching him grow, but I uh-well I know you’d be proud.”

Sarai’s stone eyes continued watching Rayla, her words seeming empty and hollow in comparison to the honor that Queen Sarai had demanded in her time.

“So while I can’t promise to be perfect-mostly because I'm more often imperfect than anything else-I will attempt to give you a gift anyway, as feeble and weak as it may be. So I do make a promise that I will do everything I can to strengthen him, encourage him, and challenge him.”

Rayla paused, listening to the wind sing above the valley before continuing.

“Much as I’m sure you did and would’ve continued to do had you been given the chance. So while I can’t help but wonder if we would’ve butted heads, I do know one thing: I think we would’ve found our hearts reflection in one another when it came to Callum. I’ll honor that reflection until the day that you two shall meet again. He’s proud to call you his mother and...I think I will be too, despite the fact that I haven’t really met you.”

Rayla, realizing her eyes were closed, suddenly opened them, blinking away the tears that blurred her vision.

“Happy Birthday, Queen Sarai,”

Rayla turned, Callum standing a few paces away and beaming with joy, and flushed, tucking herself tighter into her cloak when she remembered she wasn’t alone.

She stepped closer to Callum and he embraced her, shoving his face into her neck, and she bit her lip, wrapping her cold arms around him tightly before he let go, grabbing her hand and leading her back to the others.

Rayla felt embarrassed and slightly ashamed but General Amaya just grinned at her, signing slowly for Rayla to read.

_ <You did an extremely honorable thing. We welcome you wholeheartedly.> _

Rayla smiled in appreciation, signing clumsily back.

_ <Thank you> _

“Now it’s time for Mom’s favourite part!” chuckled Ezran before wiggling his eyebrows mischievously, “Well, and mine too!”

Ezran bent low, lifting a cover off a whole platter of jelly tarts and offering everyone to take one before handing the platter to Callum to hold while he took three, turning to place them carefully on the mantle of Sarai’s grave, the heat from the pastries spreading steam across its cold surface.

“Ez, will you do the honor?”

Callum looked to Ezran expectantly, holding out the platter so Ezran could snatch two jelly tarts for him and Bait, and smiled.

“Happy Birthday, Mom! May your stomach never grow too full for jelly tarts!” called out Ezran, laughing and shoving his tart in his mouth before bending down to let Bait lap up the one in his hand, giggling when Bait swallowed it quicker than any of the rest of them could take a first bite.

Finishing their pastries and letting Ezran grab the last three, Callum sighed, watching as General Amaya walked with Ezran back toward Katolis, the sun having illuminated the world again.

“Thank you...for coming,” mumbled Callum awkwardly, “I know it probably seems weird but-”

“It’s not weird, Callum,” interrupted Rayla, linking her arm in his and letting him start walking her back to the bustle of the city streets, “She’d be really proud of you.”

Callum paused, turning to give his mother’s statue one last glance, before leaning in and kissing Rayla’s cold forehead.

“I really hope so, Rayla,” he chuckled against her brow before Rayla sniffed at the air curiously.

“Those jelly tarts must be really strong,” she remarked before Callum lit up, grabbing her hand to pull her, much less roughly than before, back to the city.

“Oh no! The best part of the day has only just begun!” he laughed, dragging his finger lovingly up and down against her palm as he walked backward, “The bakers have been working double-time in preparation to make jelly tarts and pancakes and all the sweets and food you could imagine for the festivities today! There’s going to be a feast and party throughout the whole city! It's an annual tradition!”

Rayla chuckled when Callum pulled her closer to him, the smell of all things sweet wafting toward them when he wrapped his arms around her waist to coax her into a long and gentle kiss that proved he was still able to suck the very air from her lungs.

Pulling away, he leaned his forehead against hers and she gazed, a little cross eyed, into their deep orbs, their shades of green swirling with emotion.

He sighed and smiled.

“Mom never wanted to be mourned. So December 3rd became a day of celebration for a life lived, not a day of mourning for a life lost. It’s what she would’ve wanted.”

Rayla smiled, cupping Callum’s face.

“And that’s how I know she would’ve been proud of you,”

Callum’s brow furrowed in confusion, his gaze exploring the contours of her face before she pulled back, walking backward and flipping her hair as if drawing him in.

“I know because  _ that  _ sounds exactly like a certain big, dumb human I know,”

Callum laughed, placing his hands on his hips.

“Big, dumb human, huh?”

Rayla winked before laughing, making it her turn to pull him deeper into the sweet smell of the city while the sun swarmed the Valley of Graves in a dull warmth and the scent of three jelly tarts wafted up to an honored statue.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this (then again, I always hope you enjoy them)!!  
> I think I just have a lot of pent up feelings when it comes to Queen Sarai. Or perhaps just mothers in general.  
> Thank you so much for the support!!


End file.
